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European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas and Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard met yesterday with the shipping industry, Member States and the European Parliament to discuss how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping in the short, medium and long term. In particular, the meeting looked at how international negotiations can be moved forward.

Participants are reported to have called for the adoption of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at the next meeting of the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee in July. The index contains technical requirements to improve the design of new ships in order to reduce both their fuel consumption and emissions.

The meeting discussed how international negotiations can result in concrete actions, it looked at what can be learned from other multi-regional cooperation initiatives on transport and environment issues and how these experiences could be applied to reduce emissions from ships.

The EU has already committed itself to reducing total greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent across all sectors by 2020. The 2008 legislation provides that if no international agreement was approved which included international maritime emissions by the end of 2011, the Commission should make a proposal to include these in the EU reduction commitment. If IMO or the UNFCCC do not reach a satisfactory agreement by the end of this year, the Commission will prepare the necessary proposal.

Vice-President Kallas said: "We have recognized in our White Paper on Transport that shipping must contribute to our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For a global sector such as maritime transport, measures which are the most environmentally effective and make economic sense can best be achieved through the IMO. The EU will continue its efforts to achieve an international solution. We look forward to working together with other countries, regions and organisations to tackle this challenge successfully without delay."

Commissioner Hedegaard said: "It is high time for an agreement in the International Maritime Organization. Much as we prefer a global solution, the Member States and the European Parliament have asked the Commission to present a possible proposal to reduce shipping emissions for 2012 in the case that the IMO fails to find a solution."